This Is Home
by blueskies723
Summary: The First Book of the Alex Series.Post Guilt.After ten years of existence, Sarah Lynn Cabot goes to New York City to live with her mother. But will Sarah adjust, or will she want to go back home? Disclaimer and Author's note inside.
1. Ten Years of Existence

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Law and Order SVU characters. I do own Sarah Cabot though.

Author's Note: Now, you would think a hardcore Casey fan wouldn't even consider writing a series for Alex Cabot. I watched "Guilt" though, and that was pretty intense. So I like both ADAs, except I like Casey more. ahaha. But anyways, I decided to post the first chapter a day before my Writing Vacation is up so I could leave all of you hanging and wanting more! Not to fear, because at eight o'clock tomorrow night, I will officially be back from the Writing vacation(until August 23rd that is. My boyfriend is leaving to the other side of the world, and I will be getting ready for college the next day). I will be guessing that before then, the first two books of the Alex Series will be done.

Enough information, read and enjoy! :)

-blueskies723

* * *

Alex Cabot didn't expect the unexpected news. No wonder why she did everything she could to bring Roy Barnett to justice for Sam Cavanaugh, especially when the victim attempted suicide. She knew why her passion for the case clouded her judgment in her mistake and lied to the detectives about the search warrant; it was because of her daughter, Sarah Lynn Cabot.

About a week ago, Sarah's adoptive parents were killed in a car crash. Before DCF brought her to another family, they called Alex and Sarah's father, but they never reached him. They did reach Alex, and when she heard the news, she decided to take Sarah in. Alex didn't know how she could possibly be a good ADA and a good mother at the same time, but she knew it would work out for the best. Besides, she had one month to be a good mother since she was suspended.

She looked in the empty room that Sarah was going to live in. Alex only had to deal with making the room her daughter's, among other things. DCF already dealt with the transportation from Virginia to New York City, and Sarah was already enrolled in an elementary school nearby. Alex continued to look at the bare room, wondering what color Sarah wanted the walls to be.

Suddenly, her apartment phone started ringing. She walked out of the phone and went towards the phone, only to find Olivia Benson on the other line.

"Alex Cabot speaking"

"Hey Alex, it's Olivia."

"Hey Liv"

"I was just wondering why you're not in your office today?"

"I'm suspended until March 22nd for my illegal search at the Cavanaugh's place" Alex replied "So I'm stuck here in this apartment by my lonesome."

"Do you want me to visit and bring you some lunch?"

"You don't have to..."

"I want to" Olivia said "I won't take no for an answer."

"Fine, I'll see you soon."

* * *

Olivia knocked on Alex's apartment door. A few seconds later, Alex opened the door and saw Olivia holding a big paper bag in her hand.

"I got lunch" Olivia said as she walked in the apartment

"I see that. Don't tell me it's Chinese though, I'm not fond of it these days"

Alex followed Olivia in the kitchen and saw her gently dropping the bag on the kitchen table.

"Don't worry, I bought pizza"

Alex sat down as Olivia took everything out of the bag. She gave Alex her slice of pizza and sat down with hers.

"There had to be another reason why you came here to visit me" Alex said after she took a bite of her pizza.

"I was just wondering how you were, especially after that last case."

"I'm fine, I promise."

"Are you sure?" Olivia asked "You're never passionate and go beyond your work in your cases."

"I had a reason."

"Then what's the reason?"

Alex wasn't sure if she wanted to tell Olivia that she had a daughter, but someone had to know.

"About a week ago, DCF called me about my daughter..."

"You have a daughter?" Olivia asked. She almost dropped the remaining slice of pizza on the floor because she was so shocked.

"Yes, it's a very long story."

"I have another hour until I have to go back to work, Alex. How old is she?"

"She's 10."

"You're 27 and she's 10..."

"She'll be eleven on March 10th."

"You can't be serious..."

"I was stupid and in love" Alex explained "I was at a party with my boyfriend. I had a little too much to drink and it just happened. Then on my 16th birthday, I knew something was wrong when I was throwing up the cake I ate. And on March 10th, Sarah Lynn Cabot was born."

"Did your boyfriend dump you when you found out and told him?"

"Yes, and let's not forget my mother's reaction. She was furious! She told me to either get an abortion or have the baby and give it up for adoption. There was no way that my mother was going to have a 16 year old girl take care of a baby."

"What about Sarah?"Olivia asked "You said something about DCF calling..."

"They called and told me that Sarah's adoptive parents were killed in a car accident, and that they called the parents before putting her in other home. Of course, they couldn't contact her father since no one knows where he is anyways. And then they called me..."

"She's going to be living here, isn't she?"

"Sarah's coming here on Saturday" Alex said "I must admit that I'm nervous. I mean, I don't even know her and she doesn't know me."

"Don't worry about it, Alex. You'll be fine; I mean you have a month to spend with her anyways."

"Oh the irony..."

* * *

Saturday came soon enough as Sarah Lynn Cabot was sitting on a plane.

The ten year old was sitting her seat while listening to music from her CD player. As she listened to her music, she wondered what her mother was like. She was about to go in a different situation, with an actual biological mother by her side. Sarah didn't know the story of why she was adopted, but as she started thinking about the possibilities, she started to fall asleep.

A few hours later, Alex Cabot was standing outside the terminal with a piece of paper that read her daughter's name. She was so nervous because she didn't know who to expect to walk towards her after 10 years of not seeing her daughter. People walked past her as they left the terminal exit. Suddenly, she saw a girl with brown hair and blue eyes walk towards her.

"Are you my mom?" Sarah asked as she stood in front of Alex.

"Yes I am" Alex said. Sarah went up to her and gave her a hug. She didn't expect her daughter's first reaction was to hug her, but Alex hugged her daughter back and decided to make an exception.

* * *

This was all new to Sarah. When she was born, she didn't have to worry about making a first impression to her adoptive parents or get situated to a new home. No, she was a baby when that happened and Sarah didn't remember any of it.

It was quiet in the car while Alex was driving. Sarah didn't know if she should start a conversation or not,but her gut told her to get to know her mother.

"So what's your job?" Sarah asked. Alex was taken aback and didn't expect Sarah to talk to her right away, but then she decided that it was a good thing.

"Technically I'm a lawyer" Alex explained "I'm a lawyer who works for New York City instead of actual people."

"Cool, can I go to work with you someday?"

"You can come to work during your spring break since your winter break is almost over. Besides, now isn't the best time to go to work."

"Why?"

"Well, I kind of got suspended."

"What do you mean when you say that you got suspended?" Sarah asked

"I did something I wasn't supposed to."

"Like what?"

"You ask a lot of questions for a 5th grader" Alex said with a chuckle "I told the detectives that they had a search warrant for an apartment, even though I didn't."

"So you lied?"

"Yes"

"Wow, I didn't think my mom would be a liar" Sarah commented with a smile on her face.


	2. Sarah's New Situation

"This is home sweet home"

Sarah didn't expect an interesting personality to her mother's apartment. The living room was painted in light yellow paint and the room contained brown furniture. The rest of the apartment in front of her also showed that Alex had a smart and bold personality, and Sarah was worried that she wouldn't fit in.

She followed Alex into the apartment with her bags and walked into a small hallway. When Alex opened the door, Sarah saw that the bare room that she entered would be hers.

"This is where you'll be staying" Alex said "But I think we should actually make this room your own."

"I agree. Can we make it my own now?"

"Sure, I have nothing better to do. Let's go."

* * *

Alex didn't know what to expect when they went into the first store to find some paint. She didn't know Sarah's favorite color, or what her favorite animal was. It was times like these that Alex wish that she didn't give her daughter away.

"I like this purple" Sarah said as she pointed to a card that showed the color of light purple.

"Is purple is your favorite color?" Alex asked. Sarah nodded as she grabbed the galloon of paint. She had a hard time carrying the paint, so Alex quickly took the paint and put it in the carriage.

"I had it!" Sarah said.

"It looked like you were going to drop the paint and have it splatter all over the place."

Sarah started to become angry. Alex has never seen a child become so quickly aggravated over carrying a gallon of paint.

"I'll let you paint the room with me if you don't get angry with me. Come on, it's only a gallon of paint."

* * *

"Do you think I'll be able to paint the ceiling purple too?"

Alex started to laugh as she saw her daughter on her toes to attempt to paint the ceiling.

"Do you really want your whole room to be purple?"

"I'd have the floor purple too if you just let me paint that too" Sarah said as she gave up with the ceiling and stepped off the chair.

"You have a purple rug" Alex commented "I think you'll have enough purple in your room."

"I guess you're right" Sarah sighed. She really did want her entire room to be purple, but her mom wouldn't allow it "I'm hungry, can I have a snack?"

"Sure. Let's go in the kitchen and see what we can find"

Alex and Sarah left Sarah's newly painted room, left the small hallway and went into the kitchen. Luckily for Alex, she went to the grocery store nearby and bought food that her ten year old daughter would eat. She bought some chips and cookie among other things; and when Alex opened the cabinet, Sarah's eyes grew wide.

"Wow, you had all this stuff here before I came here?" Sarah asked.

"I will admit that I rarely eat any of this stuff, but I knew that you wouldn't eat anything I eat."

"What do you eat?"

"I eat the healthy foods. I'm the one that always ate my fruits and vegetables and loved it."

"I don't mind eating that, but I wouldn't eat it religiously like you do" Sarah said as she reached for the chips in the cabinet, walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. Alex shut the cabinet and opened the refrigerator to grab her yogurt. Seconds later, she followed her daughter into the kitchen and sat down next to her.

"Yogurt?" Sarah asked as she made a disgusting face. Alex couldn't help but to laugh.

"I told you that I ate healthy things like that. I'm guessing that you don't like yogurt."

"I don't like it. My mom made me try that stuff when I was six, and I threw up after the first spoonful" Sarah explained "I'm afraid to try it again."

"How were your parents in Virginia?" Alex asked "Did you like them?"

"I always thought that they were my real parents. I mean, I thought I looked like my mom with the brown hair and blue eyes. Then when they were killed in that car accidently and when DCF told me that I was adopted, I was shocked. I really thought that they were my real parents the entire time."

Alex knew that Sarah would have a reply that was similar to what her thoughts were. She knew that her adoptive parents were waiting for the perfect time to explain that she was adoptive, but they never got the chance. Alex nodded and gave a smile, but her reaction was completely different on the inside.

"Are you done eating those chips? We should get the furniture out of the living room and in your own bedroom."

"Okay"

Sarah got up and walked into the kitchen to put the unfinished bag of chips away. As Alex went into the kitchen to throw the yogurt container away, she wondered if she could be a decent parent like Sarah's adoptive parents were.


	3. Chicken Nuggets

"Do I have to go to school today?" Sarah whined as Alex parked her car in front of the elementary school.

"Did you really think I would let you stay home all day and watch TV?" Alex chuckled "Come on, school isn't that bad, especially when you're in 5th grade."

"But I'm nervous" Sarah said "It's a new school and I don't know anyone."

"I bet you'll meet some people that you get along with by the end of the day. Come on, it isn't the end of the world."

"I guess you're right. I'll see you later."

Sarah opens the car door, and shuts the door behind her as she looks at the school. She saw Alex leave her there to survive her first day of school. She looked at the school that she would be attending for another one and a half years, took a deep breath, and then walked in the entrance of the school.

* * *

She realized that she wasn't like her mother. Sarah assumed that Alex was the one that everyone liked her while Sarah was the one who kept to herself, especially when she's in a new situation. No one she's been so quiet, she's in a new state, living with a new family, and going to a new school.

Sarah was in the lunch line, paying for her peanut butter and fluff sand which. When she took a few steps away from the cafeteria lady at the register, she looked at the cafeteria. Everyone was sitting with their friends, and everyone was familiar with everyone else. Except Sarah was new, and she didn't know where to sit.

She finally decided to sit down in a small corner table. Sarah wished that she was back home with her friends instead of being here. She wished that her parents didn't die in that car accident. Sarah wished that she was home, and so far she didn't feel like Alex's apartment was home.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a pretty girl in her class. Sarah didn't expect her to be standing in front of her.

"Hey remember me?" the girl asked "I'm in your class."

"I know" Sarah said.

"I'm Autumn, and my friends and I saw you sitting alone. Do you want to sit with us?"

"Sure."

* * *

Alex was sitting in her car, waiting for her daughter to get out of her first day of school. She wondered if Sarah liked it, and if she made any friends like she said that Sarah would. Alex felt like she was experiencing a mother moment with Sarah's first day of school, except she was 10 and was in the 5th grade.

A few minutes later, Alex saw all the kids leaving the building. Seconds later, she saw her daughter leave the school and walk towards the car. Alex couldn't see if Sarah was in a good mood or not, but when Sarah opened the car door, she couldn't be quiet.

"How was school?" Alex said as she put the car in drive.

"School was amazing! I met some new friends in my class and my teacher is amazing!"

"I told you that it wouldn't be that bad."

"I know, you were right" Sarah said "What's for dinner?"

"I don't know, what do you want for dinner?"

"How about you cook something?" Sarah asked

"Sarah, I don't cook."

"Why not?"

"Because I usually eat out since lawyers usually eat out."

"But you're not working" Sarah pointed out "So what would you eat?"

"Fine, I'll make grill cheese sand-whiches."

"I don't want a grill cheese sand which. I want chicken, and I don't eat chicken nuggets either!"

"Aren't we picky?" Alex joked "Okay, I'll cook up some chicken, but I need to stop at the grocery store then."

* * *

"It's a good thing you bought the chicken nuggets too."

Within half an hour after Alex started cooking, there was a small fire in the kitchen. When she extinguished the burnt chicken in the oven, Sarah couldn't help but laugh at her mother and make fun of her.

"At least I'm good at making chicken nuggets. Don't you have homework you need to do?"

"I'm almost done. I just need to read a few chapters of this book"

"Then I suggest that you start reading" Alex suggested. Sarah pouted at her mother, but she turned around and walked out of the kitchen. Alex took her oven mitts out of a drawer, took the burnt chicken, and threw it in the trash can.


	4. I Don't Belong Here

A few weeks passed since Sarah started living with Alex. She has started to warm up to her and actually started being comfortable in her new situation, but that was about to change since Alex had to go back to work tomorrow.

"I should let you know that my job is a very busy and stressful one" Alex started to explain when Sarah started to crawl into bed "I won't be able to pick you up after school like I used to, and you'll have to make yourself something small for supper."

"When do you come home?"

"It depends on the case. It varies on the case I'm working on. I could be home by 5 or I could be home by midnight."

Sarah nodded as if she understood, but she started having second thoughts about living here.

* * *

It was different when Sarah realized again that her mother wouldn't be picking her up from school anymore. She sighed as she started walking home, but someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and saw that it was Autumn.

"You're walking home?" Autumn asked. She knew that Sarah never walked home before.

"Yeah, my mom started working again."

"Where does she work?"

"She didn't say where. She said that she was some sort of lawyer though" Sarah said.

"That's interesting. I guess that means we're walking home from school together."

"What?"

"You only live a few blocks from me" Autumn explained.

"Oh."

* * *

Alex came home at nine that night. She had plenty of cases she had to prosecute, and many more she had to look at. When she opened her apartment door, she saw that all the lights were off. She assumed that Sarah was sleeping, but the truth was that she wasn't.

When Alex passed Sarah's door, she noticed that Sarah's door was shut with her light on. She walked back over and slowly opened the door. She saw Sarah look up from a book that she was reading, and Alex opened the door all the way.

"Hey, how was your day?" Alex asked as she stood in the doorway.

"My day was good, how was yours?"

"You shouldn't even ask."

"Was it that bad?" Sarah asked.

"No, it was just really busy. Why are you still up?"

"I was waiting for you."

"Sarah, I don't want you to lose sleep just so you can wait for me to come home!" Alex said "I want you in bed by nine!"

"But..."

"Don't try to excuse yourself, young lady! Now go to bed!"

"Fine, goodnight."

Alex shut off Sarah's bedroom light and walked to her own room. Sarah slowly sank into her bed and laid down as she tried to go to bed. But she couldn't go bed; all Sarah could think about was how things were better when Alex didn't have to go to work. Besides, where did her mother work anyways?

* * *

A few days later, Sarah's behavior started to change. Instead of being the quiet girl that her mother enjoyed in her presence, Sarah started to have a nasty attitude towards her mother. The first time she noticed this was when she came home at around 4:30 that day.

"Sarah, I'm home!"

"Oh, what a surprise!"

Alex noted Sarah's tone in her voice. It sounded like her daughter was already becoming a teenager full of hate, but she knew that something had to be bothering Sarah. She put her work bag down on the couch and walked towards Sarah's bedroom. When she stopped in front of the doorway, she saw Sarah reading another book for school.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Why don't you go back to work?" Sarah snapped.

"I'm done for the day, Sarah. What do you want for supper?"

Sarah looked up from her book and saw that her mother was sincere about being home for the rest of the day. That didn't stop her from having a nasty attitude.

"I don't want anything."

"Sarah Lynn, I refuse to let you not have anything to eat for supper!" Alex said sharply

"Oh, and what are you going to do? Go back to work and cry?"

Alex was losing her patience with her own daughter each time Sarah started saying something out of character.

"Sarah, stop it. This isn't like you to be this nasty, especially to me."

"How do you know? You haven't been there with me since I was born!" Sarah yelled "So don't say that you know me, because you don't! Now leave me alone!"

Sarah got up from her bed, ran towards Alex and pushed her out of the doorway. When Alex was standing against the wall, Sarah slammed the door in her face. Alex sighed and walked into the kitchen.

Sarah turned around from the door and ran back to her bed. She wanted to go back to her real home with her real parents, but she knew that it was never going to happen.

* * *

It was in the middle of April when Olivia Benson noticed a personality change in Alex. She noticed that Alex was quiet only when she was spoken too, and wasn't as strong as an ADA like she was in the past. Olivia knocked on the door once, and then opened Alex's office door. Alex looked up from her work and saw Olivia shut the door behind her.

"We decided not to wait for a reply to your knock?" Alex asked.

"We decided to actually talk for once? Alex, what the hell is going on?" Olivia asked as she walked towards Alex's desk and sat down in a chair.

"It's Sarah. She's changed her behavior, and I don't know why."

"Well, what does she do that changed?"

"When Sarah came in and lived with me for a few weeks, she was quiet and considerate. Now she's this pre-teen monster pushing me out of the way and slamming doors in my face" Alex explained.

"That's a problem."

"No kidding."

"I think she's acting that way because you're back to work" Olivia suggested.

"Oh, so now you're my shrink?"Alex snapped.

"I didn't say I was, but was Sarah acting that way when you were suspended from doing your job?"

Alex had to think about that question. Then she realized that Olivia's logic made sense.

"I think you're right."

"See? I told you that I wasn't a shrink."

"Geez, no wonder she hates me..."

"She doesn't hate you, Alex. She probably just doesn't want you to work the long hours you're working."

"But I can't change the hours that I work!" Alex said sharply. She started to get angry "How the hell am I suppose to change my work hours to be a good mother to Sarah? Oh, and I'm hearing this from a detective who works almost every hour of every day!"

"Alex, calm down" Olivia said gently "I didn't mean to make you upset."

"Well your suggestion wasn't too helpful."

"Maybe you can bring her along to work one day" Olivia suggested "Doesn't she have a spring break coming up or something?"

"Sarah starts her vacation on the 19th..."

"Which is this Friday."

"Fine, I'll take your advice" Alex sighed "I think I'll bring her in on that Wednesday."


	5. In Contempt and In Anger

Sarah was surprised to see her mother walk through the door at around noon on Wednesday. When Alex opened the door, she saw Sarah sitting on the couch watching tv.

"I hope you're watching something educational" Alex joked as she walked towards the couch.

"Come on, it's April vacation!" Sarah whined.

"I was kidding."

"Oh, why are you home early?"

"I'm here to get you."

"Huh?"

"Come on, I want to bring you to my workplace."

"Are you serious?" Sarah asked

"Yes, I am. I think you'll understand why I work the long hours that I do."

Sarah rolled her eyes, but she shut off the TV and ran to her room to get her sneakers on.

* * *

"When you said that I'll understand why you work long hours, does this mean that you're always in a jail cell?"

Alex laughed when Sarah asked her question. Sarah couldn't believe that her mother stood up against the judge and was held in contempt. Sarah was sitting on the floor next to the jail cell while Alex was sitting on the bench in her cell.

"No, it doesn't mean I'm in a jail cell every time I prosecute a case"

"Well, you're doing a good job showing me that" Sarah snickered.

"Maybe I was out of line, who knows" Alex explained "But I do know that I'm not going to be home tonight."

"You're not?"

"Sarah, I'm in a jail cell. You can't just magically get me out of here."

"Isn't your boss trying to get you out?" Sarah asked

"Yes, but that's not going to happen until past your bedtime."

"I didn't know I had a bedtime during my April vacation" Sarah said.

"Look; it's nice of you to stay here with me but you can't stay here all night with you."

"What would you do if I was in a jail cell?"

"Excuse me?"

Alex didn't expect Sarah to ask that question, but Sarah quickly revealed her reasoning to her mother.

"If I was in your shoes and sitting in a jail cell, you wouldn't want to leave, right?"

"Yes, but that's a different story. I'm your mother."

"And I'm your daughter, which means I'm not going anywhere" Sarah said. Alex knew that Sarah was determined to stay with her until someone got her out.

"I didn't know you would be so determined and stubborn to stay here."

"For a mom, you don't know a lot" Sarah commented.

"That's because of my job. It's time-consuming and stressful."

"That's not a good reason to be a mom who's never there for me. At least I'm right here for you, aren't you lucky?"

* * *

A few days after the incident of Alex being in jail, Sarah's attitude got worst as the days progressed. What made the situation even worst was that Alex didn't know what to do. She didn't know if she wanted to scream at Sarah or drag her workplace everyday to understand why her job takes up a lot of her time.

Lately, Alex has been coming home early. It makes her boss aggravated and suspicious, but Alex didn't care about what her boss thought. She needed to take care of her daughter.

Alex opened the door at around five. She saw Sarah watching TV, and noticed that Sarah's backpack was next to the couch untouched. Alex stormed over to the couch, grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. This caught Sarah's attention.

"Hey! I was watching that!" Sarah snapped

"Did you do your homework?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I'm your mother, that's why."

"Oh, because that's a really good excuse..."

"Let me tell you something! I'm starting to lose my patience with you!" Alex snapped "I've been dealing with this new attitude of yours since I started to work again, but I'm not going to anymore. You need to realize that I have a job and that this job takes up most of my day!"

"That's all you care about, isn't it?" Sarah asked in an angry tone "All you care about is your stupid job! You don't care about me!"

"That's not true!"

"Yes it is! I want to go back home! I wish my parents were still alive and I was still in Virginia! I wish that I never met you, because my adoptive parents were better parents that you'll ever be! I hate you!"


	6. Not Good Enough

Alex was sleeping when Sarah started to pack. She didn't want to be in New York with her real mother anymore. Instead, Sarah wanted to go back home where she belonged.

When she was finished packing, Sarah put her backpack over her shoulders and quietly walked out of the room. Then she quietly left the apartment. She decided that writing a goodbye note wasn't necessary, since Alex didn't care anyways.

She was walking in the streets at 10 at night. She was somewhat scared of her surroundings, but she didn't care. Sarah was about to turn the corner when a figure in the night grabbed the girl by the arm and dragged her into an alley.

Sarah started screaming for help when the person pushed her to the ground. She continued screaming until the person started hitting her with some sort of heavy object. Her screams turned to cries, and before she knew it, she blacked out.

* * *

Alex was used to the normal late night calls from the precinct, but she didn't expect a call as horrifying as this one.

"Hello?"

"Alex, it's Liv. You might want to drive yourself to Mercy hospital."

"Why?"

"Your daughter was attacked."

Alex suddenly woke up and stood up in her bed.

"What do you mean Sarah was attacked? She was here the entire time!"

"That's what you think? Apparently she was trying to run away from you."

Alex smacked herself over the head. If she was just like Sarah's adoptive parents that had time for her, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. Olivia was worried on the other line when she heard silence.

"Alex?"

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

It was rare to see tears in Alex Cabot's eyes. She was a strong woman who stood her ground and she also showed her emotions, but this was different. The doctors said that she'll be okay and that she only has a concussion, but it didn't matter to Alex. If she was a better mother, Sarah wouldn't have left the house and run away.

Olivia was surprised to see Alex crying in the waiting room. She never saw the A.D.A. cry in her life, but Olivia knew that Alex rarely showed any emotion either. She walked over and sat down next to Alex.

"Hey"

"Hi" Alex said quietly.

"How's Sarah doing?" Olivia asked

"The doctors said that she only has a concussion and a few bruises, so she'll be fine. She'll be in pain, but she'll be fine."

"Are you allowed to see her now?"

"I don't deserve to see my own daughter."

Olivia was shocked to hear those words out of Alex's mouth.

"What do you mean by that?"

Alex looked down at the first and didn't say anything at first. Then seconds later, she slowly looked up at Olivia.

"First, I have to give her up for adoption because of my stupid mistake" Alex explained "Then I'm not the perfect parent that she expected me to be. No wonder why she wanted to run away from me..."

"Alex, don't blame yourself for all this."

"Wouldn't you blame yourself if you were in my shoes?" Alex asked "You know nothing about being a mother."

"And you don't know a lot about being a great parent either. I'm not trying to say that you aren't a good mom, I'm just trying to help."

"I know."

"I bet Sarah would appreciate if you went to her room and be at her side."

"I bet she rather have her adoptive parents by her side."

"I think she rather have you by her side" Olivia suggested "You're the only family she has right now, and you're just proving your point of being a horrible parent if you don't leave this waiting room. Now go and see your daughter, she needs you."

Alex nodded and got up from her seat. Olivia watched her friend walk down the hallway and into Sarah's room. When Alex walked into the room, she saw that Sarah was sleeping. She grabbed the chair in the room, moved it next to Sarah's bed, and sat down in the chair. Seconds later, Alex saw her daughter slowly opening her eyes. When Sarah opened her eyes, she saw her mother sitting next to her bed.

"Mom?"

"Are you feeling all right?" Alex asked.

"I'm fine. I'm really tired though."

"I'm glad to hear that..."

"I didn't mean to scare you like this" Sarah explained "I just..."

"You just can't stand me?" Alex asked, making a guess.

"I guess so. Everything here is so different than it was back at home" Sarah said "My mom was a stay at home mom while my dad was a dentist. Both of them were the best parents I could ask for. Then they died in a car accidently, and I find out that my life is really the opposite. I have a mother who's obsessed about her job, and my real dad is non-existent. It's just...not home."

"I know this must be really hard for you, but this is home" Alex explained "This is home until you're an adult, and you can't change that. You can love me or hate me all you want, but it won't change the fact that I'm your mother."

Sarah didn't say anything. She suddenly felt bad about treating her mother badly. Alex noticed Sarah's sudden change of mood.

"Sarah, are you okay?" Alex asked. The next thing she knew, Sarah starting crying.

"I feel so bad. I treated you like crap and yelled at you, yet you're sitting right by my side when I tried running away!"

Sarah continued to cry when Alex got out of her seat to give her a hug. And seconds later, both of them started crying for different reasons.


	7. A Special Mother's Day

It was Mother's Day when Sarah's gratefulness for Alex showed. Alex didn't expect to slowly wake up to her daughter standing at the end of the bed with a tray that contained breakfast. When Sarah saw that Alex was up, she walked over with the tray.

"Happy Mother's Day!"

"I'm surprised that you're even celebrating the occasion" Alex grumbled as she reached to the nightstand and grabbed her glasses.

"I'm surprised that you even said that" Sarah said. She put the tray in Alex's lap. The breakfast contained eggs and bacon. The creative thing was that Sarah made a face on the plate, with the eggs being eyes and bacon being the smile. There was also orange juice.

"You do eat this stuff, right?"

"I usually don't, but I'll make an exception" Alex said as she picked up her fork and started eating the eggs.

* * *

"Mom! You need to close your eyes!"

"My eyes are closed, Sarah!"

Sarah held her mother's hand as she led her in the kitchen for a surprise present. Alex tried to peek, but Sarah kept on looking at her.

"You say that your eyes are closed, but they really aren't!"

"Okay, you win. My eyes are shut and I won't open them until you tell me to" Alex said

"Good."

When they were in the kitchen, Sarah let go of her hand and stood in front of her mother.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

When Alex opened her eyes, she saw daffodils in a vase on the kitchen table. She also saw a wrapped present next to the flowers.

"Sarah, these flowers are beautiful!" Alex gasped as she walked over to the kitchen and looked at the flowers.Then she sat down at the table and reached for the present. Sarah followed her and sat next to Alex at the kitchen table.

"So what's underneath the wrapping paper box?" Alex asked

"I don't know, why don't you open it."

Alex ripped the wrapping paper off the small box. When she opened the box, she found a camera. Alex took the camera out of the box. Sarah noticed that Alex had a confused look on her face.

"I like the camera, but when am I going to use it?"

Sarah got up from her seat, took the camera from her mother and held the camera in front of them.

"Why don't you smile for the camera and find out?"


End file.
